Third hotel shelter dedicated to isolation spaces for people experiencing homelessness

Third hotel shelter dedicated to isolation spaces for people experiencing homelessness

This week, Hennepin County stood up a third temporary shelter location at an area hotel to provide alternate accommodations for people experiencing homelessness in response to the continued spread of COVID-19.

This new site is dedicated specifically to isolation spaces for people who are awaiting test results or have tested positive for COVID-19 to discourage spread of the virus. Since Wednesday, April 1, five residents have been moved from other shelter settings into isolation spaces at this new hotel. As of Friday morning, none have tested positive for COVID-19 and two are currently awaiting test results.

At one of the two existing hotel sites, 37 people have been in isolation with flu-like symptoms with zero positive COVID-19 tests. Nineteen have recovered and 18 will remain until they are asymptomatic.

Hennepin County continues to work with shelter and health professionals to identify healthy but especially high-risk people experiencing homelessness. So far, 233 high-risk residents have been moved from congregate shelter settings into hotel sites, including 153 seniors and 80 other high-risk residents.

Media availability

Key staff will be available for media calls between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. today, Friday, April 3, including:

David Hewitt, Hennepin County director of the Office to End Homelessness